Thyroid swellings

 

Diffuse benign goitre is very common in premenopausal women and the prevalence declines with age. Apart from cosmetic appearance it is of no significance. It is 4 times more common in women compared to men. Causes include:

bulletsimple colloid goitre
bulletmultinodular goitre
bulletautoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease)
bulletiodine deficiency (Derbyshire neck)
bulletgoitrogens (eating substances that cause enlargement of the thyroid)

Solitary thyroid nodules and multinodular goitre are more likely to occur with increasing age. The affect 3% of elderly women and 1% of elderly men.

 

 Large multinodular goitre

 

5% (1 in 20) solitary nodules are cancerous.

Suspicious features in the development of a thyroid lump are:

  1. goitre development before 20 or after 60 years of age
  2. history of neck irradiation
  3. rapid growth of the lump
  4. family history of thyroid cancer
  5. male patient
  6. firm, non-tender nodule, local lymph node involvement or laryngeal nerve injury (hoarse voice) in the absence of previous surgery

    Mr. H.S. Khaira  MD, FRCS.
    Copyright © 2001  [H.S. Khaira]. All rights reserved.
    Revised: November 13, 2004 .